Bahrain Escapes Censure by West as Crackdown on Protesters Intensifies
THE INDEPENDENT: Saudi troops' demolition of mosques stokes religious tensions

Bahraini government forces backed by Saudi Arabian troops are destroying mosques and places of worship of the Shia majority in the island kingdom in a move likely to exacerbate religious hatred across the Muslim world.

"So far they have destroyed seven Shia mosques and about 50 religious meeting houses," said Ali al-Aswad, an MP in the Bahraini parliament.

He said Saudi soldiers, part of the 1,000-strong contingent that entered Bahrain last month, had been seen by witnesses helping demolish Shia mosques and shrines in the Sunni-ruled kingdom.

Mohammed Sadiq, of the Justice for Bahrain organisation, said the most famous of the Shia shrines destroyed was that of a revered Bahraini Shia spiritual leader, Sheikh Abdul Amir al-Jamri, who died in 2006. A photograph taken by activists and seen by The Independent shows the golden dome of the shrine lying on the ground and later being taken away on the back of a lorry. On the walls of Shia mosques that have been desecrated, graffiti has been scrawled praising the Sunni King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa and insulting the Shia.

The attack on Shia places of worship has provoked a furious reaction among the 250 million Shia community, particularly in Iran and Iraq, where Shia are in a majority, and in Lebanon where they are the largest single community.

The Shia were already angry at the ferocious repression by Bahraini security forces of the pro-democracy movement, which had sought to be non-sectarian. After the monarchy had rejected meaningful reform, the wholly Sunni army and security forces started to crush the largely Shia protests on 15 and 16 March.

The harshness of the government repression is provoking allegations of hypocrisy against Washington, London and Paris. Their mild response to human rights abuses and the Saudi Arabian armed intervention in Bahrain is in stark contrast to their vocal concern for civilians in Libya. » | Patrick Cockburn in Cairo | Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Europe Shuts Its Eyes to the Migrant Challenge
THE INDEPENDENT – LEADING ARTICLE: Europe is engaged in a repellent exercise in hand-washing over the fate of migrants fleeing North Africa. For six hours on Sunday, the French authorities blocked trains containing Tunisian refugees from crossing the Italian border. This was disgraceful behaviour from France and a blatant breach of the Schengen agreement, which guarantees free movement across continental Europe.

But Italy's conduct has been just as bad. The Italian government, desperate to see the 25,000 or so migrants who have arrived in the country from North Africa in recent months move on, has issued thousands of temporary residency permits, which allow the recipients to travel freely across Europe. They know that many of the refugees from Tunisia have relatives in the former colonial power, France, and will head in that direction given an opportunity. Both nations want to make these migrants someone else's problem.

What makes all this especially reprehensible is that France and Italy each bear a large measure of responsibility for the chaos in North Africa. The Italian prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi, got very close to the Libyan dictator, Muammar Gaddafi, who has since turned viciously on his own people.

France was similarly friendly with the Tunisian regime of Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali before it imploded, setting off a succession of Arab uprisings. If France and Italy had not supported repressive regimes in North Africa for so long, it is possible this crisis would never have reached such proportions. » | Leading article | Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Verbunden »

Bahrain's Secret Terror
THE INDEPENDENT: Desperate emails speak of 'genocide' as doctors who have treated injured protesters are rounded up

The intimidation and detention of doctors treating dying and injured pro-democracy protesters in Bahrain is revealed today in a series of chilling emails obtained by The Independent.

At least 32 doctors, including surgeons, physicians, paediatricians and obstetricians, have been arrested and detained by Bahrain's police in the last month in a campaign of intimidation that runs directly counter to the Geneva Convention guaranteeing medical care to people wounded in conflict. Doctors around the world have expressed their shock and outrage.
One doctor, an intensive care specialist, was held after she was photographed weeping over a dead protester. Another was arrested in the theatre room while operating on a patient.

Many of the doctors, aged from 33 to 65, have been "disappeared" – held incommunicado or at undisclosed locations. Their families do not know where they are. Nurses, paramedics and ambulance staff have also been detained.
Emails between a Bahraini surgeon and a British colleague, seen by The Independent, describe in vivid detail the threat facing medical staff as they struggle to treat victims of the violence. They provide a glimpse of the terror and exhaustion suffered by the doctors and medical staff.

Bahraini government forces backed by Saudi Arabian troops have cracked down hard on demonstrators since the unrest began on 15 February – and the harshness of their response has now been extended to those treating the injured. » | Jeremy Laurance, Health Editor | Thursday, April 21, 2011

Asylum Seekers Torch Australian Detention Centre in Night of Riots
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Angry and desperate asylum-seekers have torched an immigration detention centre in Sydney, burning nine buildings to the ground after Australian authorities denied some of their requests for refugee status.

During a night of rioting, security guards were attacked with fire extinguishers and pelted with roof tiles and timber in one of the most serious eruptions of violence among asylum-seekers in Australia, where the government's policy of indefinite detention is a sensitive political issue.

Riot police had to be called in to quell the protest after the centre's unarmed guards were forced to retreat in the face of the attacks.

About 100 asylum-seekers at the Villawood immigration detention centre, which houses many people whose requests for refuge have been rejected and are pending deportation, climbed onto roofs late at night and began setting fire to buildings.

By daybreak, the fires had been extinguished and the smouldering remains of buildings housing a laundry, kitchen and medical centre could be seen, but the authorities were still struggling to contain the situation within the centre. Police were trying to coax seven asylum seekers from the roof of one building. The group had erected a sign reading "we need help".

The protestors want a meeting with immigration officials, but a spokesman for the department said that would not happen.

Police have warned that the men who took part in the riot could face charges of criminal damage that could further dent their chances of being granted asylum.

But refugee rights groups have said the violence was an act of desperation by people who had been detained for almost two years. » | Bonnie Malkin in Sydney | Thursday, April 21, 2011

Paris offre une aide de 350 millions d'euros à la Tunisie
LE POINT: Le ministre des Affaires étrangères Alain Juppé est arrivé mercredi à Tunis pour relancer les relations franco-tunisiennes.

Le chef de la diplomatie française Alain Juppé est arrivé mercredi en Tunisie, avec en poche une aide de 350 millions d'euros, pour raccommoder une relation bilatérale mise à mal par plusieurs couacs français avant et depuis la chute du régime Ben Ali. "Le voyage que je fais aujourd'hui est très important pour moi. Je sais très bien qu'il a pu y avoir quelques retards ou quelques incompréhensions entre la France et la Tunisie. Je crois que tout cela est derrière nous", a déclaré Alain Juppé, au sortir d'un entretien avec le Premier ministre par intérim Béji Caïd Essebsi. » | Source AFP | Mercredi 20 Avril 2011

Libya: British Photographer Killed in Misurata
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Tim Hetherington, a leading British photojournalist, has been killed while covering the fighting in the Libyan city of Misurata, the Foreign Office has confirmed.

Mr Hetherington, who had won a World Press Photo of the Year award for his coverage of Afghanistan and had also made prize-winning film documentaries, was said by friends and colleagues to have died from a mortar round while on the front line.

He was on assignment for the news agency Panos. » | Nick Collins | Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Viewpoints – Converts to Islam: “Islam for the World”
Watch video here

Hosni Mubarak 'Complicit' in Demo Killings Says Judge
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Egypt's ousted leader Hosni Mubarak was complicit in shootings of anti-regime protesters as he tried to face down a popular revolt, a member of an official commission said on Tuesday.

Judge Omar Marwan, the commission's secretary general, was speaking at a news conference after the release of its report's summary, which said 846 civilians died in the protests that led to Mr Mubarak's ouster in February.

Twenty-six policemen were also killed in the 18 days of unrest, the report said, adding that police used excessive force against demonstrators and shot at people trying to film the events from balconies and windows.

"What is confirmed is that Mubarak's permission (to use live fire on protesters) must be obtained. The shooting lasted for several days, and he did not hold accountable those who fired live rounds," Judge Marwan said.

"That confirms his involvement in responsibility," he said. » | Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Italy Risks Brain Drain Amid Tough Job Market

Dmitry Medvedev Dancing to American Boy

RUSSIA TODAY: Dancing Medvedev grooves internet »

Inside Story: US Funding Syrian Opposition?
Cables released by Wikileaks have revealed that the US has been financing the Syrian oppsition.

The reports claim the US State Department has given at least $6 million for anti-government programmes in Syria. The money was allegedly given to the Movement for Justice and Development, which is a Syrian opposition group based in London. Reformist satellite channel Barada TV is also said to have also received funding.



This all comes as 20,000 demonstrators gathered in Homs demanding Bashar al-Assad step down - a move his government claimed amounted to "armed insurrection".



Demonstrators claim troops loyal to al-Assad opened fire in an attempt to disperse the crowd forcibly. 



Inside Story, with presenter Dareen Abughaida, discusses with guests: Nadim Shehade, from the Middle East Programme at Chatham House; and Malik al-Abdeh, a memeber of the Syrian Movement for Justice and Development, also editor-in-chief of Barada TV.



This episode of Inside Story aired on Tuesday, April 19, 2011.

Prince Charles Becomes Longest-serving Heir Apparent
BBC: Prince Charles has become the longest-serving heir apparent in British history.

The previous record, of 59 years, two months and 13 days, was set by his great-great-grandfather, King Edward VII, Clarence House said.

The Prince of Wales became heir apparent at the age of three when his mother, Princess Elizabeth, acceded to the throne on 6 February 1952.

Charles, now 62, was nine when he was given the title the Prince of Wales.

Edward VII was born the heir apparent on 9 November 1841 as his mother, Queen Victoria, was already on the throne.

He took over as King when she died on 22 January 1901.

The heir apparent, currently the eldest son of a sovereign (unless the monarch's children are all female), is the next in line to the throne and their right to succeed cannot be altered by the birth of another. » | Wednesday, April 20, 2011

The Royal Wedding Is a Sitting Target for Terrorists
TELEGRAPH – BLOGS – CON COUGHLIN: I hate to sound a sour note on what otherwise promises to be a truly joyful occasion, but for those responsible for ensuring the Royal Wedding goes off without incident the event is proving to be something of a security nightmare.

The Government’s decision to ban a protest planned by Muslims Against Crusades has highlighted the fact that not everyone in this fair isle wishes the happy couple well.

But what about those of a more violent disposition, such as al-Qaeda and the IRA, that might seek to use the event to launch a “spectacular” terror attack? » | Con Coughlin | Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Ahmed Yasin - sufistischer Imam in Mönchengladbach spricht über Einladung Zum Paradies – EZP

EU Wants to Label Ritually Slaughtered Meat 'Slaughter without Stunning'
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: New EU proposals have steered away from labelling meat from ritually slaughtered animals as Halal or Shechita to avoid causing religious offence, instead opting for the label of "meat from slaughter without stunning".

MEPs on the European Parliament's food safety committee have voted for the clear labels so consumers can see whether meat has been stunned or not before it has been slaughtered.

David Bowles, a spokesman for the RSPCA, welcomed the vote.

"We hope that all the countries in Europe will accept it," he said. "At the moment you can chose whether you want your eggs to be free range or cage-reared, but you don't know how the chickens were killed. We should be told whether our meat has been stunned or not before it has been killed because at the moment we could be eating it without knowing it."

The proposals are expected to be opposed by national governments who are concerned that the issue is too controversial to be included in EU food labelling regulations.

"This is too sensitive a social issue to be dealt with as an add on to food labelling rules," said a European diplomat.

Slaughter without stunning is legal under religious freedom laws in most EU countries despite animal welfare rules that generally ban it as leading to "unacceptable levels of suffering and pain".

It has become an issue because a small, but increasing, proportion of Muslim Halal and Jewish Shechita butchers cut the animals' throats while they are still conscious.

Jim Paice, the food and farming minister, has previously signalled that the Government could consider labelling on un-stunned meat as long it is treated as "a welfare issue not a religious one".

However, British officials have indicated that the government will not support the latest call from MEPs. » | Bruno Waterfield, Brussels and Harry Wallop Consumer Affairs Editor | Wednesday, April 20, 2011

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The EU vote on 'no-stun slaughter' meat: Should consumers know whether or not the animals that they’re eating were stunned before slaughter? I’m in no doubt about this: of course they should. Animal welfare is important, and consumers should have access to this fundamental information about the animal on their plates. » | Pete Wedderburn | Friday, April 15, 2011

Royal Wedding: Anti-monarchists Flock to London to Hold Rival Street Parties
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Anti-monarchists from across Europe will descend on Britain on the day of the Prince William's marriage to Kate Middleton and hold anti-Royal street parties.

Led by the British group Republic, campaigners from Sweden, Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands, Belgium and Spain are due to come to London on April 29.

The group is planning to protst [sic] against the cost of raxpayers [sic] bankrolling European royal families.

Despite largely positive public reaction for the wedding, Republic campaign manager Graham Smith believes Britons are less excited about the day than the press coverage suggests.

"Most people in this country aren't that bothered about the royal family or the monarchy, they don't really care that much one way or the other," he said.

"When these big stories come up it then makes people think about it. It gives us opportunities to gain publicity and raise our profile." » | Wednesday, April 20, 2011

The Buck Stops Here
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: This week's warning about US debt is the wake-up call Obama needs – and the world needs him to act, says Martin Vander Weyer.

The good news is that America has not suddenly turned into the new Ireland. The bad news is that the Obama administration is only beginning to face up to its debt addiction, in the way that Ireland and other euro delinquents have been forced to do. And Washington's prolonged debt denial is one factor that has made the economic recovery so fragile and uncertain for all of us.

In that context, the announcement on Monday by the ratings agency Standard & Poor's that it had shifted its outlook on US government debt from "stable" to "negative", which sent markets into a tailspin, may actually turn out to be helpful, like the friend who says loudly to a incorrigible drunk at a party: "Another drink, George? Or is that a silly question?" The S&P analysis is not hugely significant – it is a first downward notch on a long scale of potential debt downgrades – but it is a timely warning that the world is aware America has a problem. Uncle Sam has been able to refill his glass time after time for the simple reason that Chinese investors – banks, state agencies and exporters – choose to store the wealth they gain in international trade largely in the form of US government paper. But as iconic as the greenback and the Treasury bill may be, they do not enjoy such a uniquely elevated status as to make them immune from the processes of risk assessment that have been applied so painfully elsewhere.

The IMF says America's fiscal deficit for 2011 will approach 11 per cent – similar to the UK's – and its net debt will exceed 70 per cent of gross domestic product, which is a worse position than ours if we exclude bank bail-outs from the equation. US debt has hitherto been regarded as virtually risk-free, but if the UK and other nations are seen to be making strenuous efforts to cut deficits while America's continues to balloon then, sooner or later, investors must begin to take a more cautious view. » | Martin Vander Weyer | Tuesday, April 19, 2011

My comment:

Obama is clueless! From the beginning, it was clear to me that the man was an “empty suit.” But the American electorate would hear none of it, and got carried away with his rhetoric. Nobody even bothered to find out what he meant by “hope and change.” Hope of what? And change to what? And the mantra, “yes, we can.” What was that supposed to mean? Yes, we can what? As a result, Americans became transfixed by a man who could speak (arguably), but nothing else. Words, words, words!

Meanwhile, all Obama has ever wanted to do is spend, spend, spend. The trouble is, he hasn’t learnt one simple lesson of economics: You have to have it to spend it. None of us can go out and spend like a drunken sailor, as if there weren’t a tomorrow. How foolish that is. Profligacy is never a good thing. It will always lead to disaster.

In fairness to Obama, it’s true that he inherited a huge deficit from George W. Bush. Another profligate president. He ruined America by spending vast sums on wars which America could ill-afford, on wars which could achieve nothing to boot. But that was all the more reason why Obama should have got to work on reducing the deficit straightaway upon getting into office. Instead of that, he embarked upon a spending spree.

The Americans, too, must shoulder part of the burden of responsibility. They don’t seem to understand the meaning of the word ‘saving.’ Saving has become an alien concept to Americans. Americans prefer to consume, consume, consume. They also like to be generous with foreign aid. They give foreign aid abroad in billions, trying to buy influence and popularity. We can all see where that has got them.

In addition, the nature of politics in America is far too ideological. The Republicans and Democrats are far away from each other in political terms, so that it is difficult to find any middle ground. As a result, they cannot move forward in a meaningful way.

The future for America is looking very bleak indeed. This is a seminal moment for the US, and a seminal moment for the rest of the West. One can ask oneself but one question: Is this the start of the decline of the West? It might sound melodramatic, but it isn’t. If the US cannot save itself from bankruptcy, its influence in the world will decline. If this happens, it will no longer be the beacon of freedom. This will have serious consequences for us all. One can only fear the consequences of the eclipse of the US. Its loss of influence may have just begun.

It is to be hoped that, somehow, America will wake up before it’s too late. Bernanke’s love of quantitative easing will not solve anything. Quantitative easing is a fancy term for printing money. Turning on the printing press won’t solve anything. In fact, it will make matters worse. – © Mark

This comment also appears here

Cuba to Allow Homes to Be Bought and Sold for First Time under Communist Rule
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Cubans will be allowed to buy and sell homes for the first time since Fidel Castro seized power in 1959 under a package of sweeping reforms.

Since the Communist revolution, inhabitants of the island have only been allowed to swap homes through a complicated system or pass them on to their children.

But a raft of reforms agreed at the first congress of the Communist Party since 1997 includes a plan to legalise property sales.

Under the current system of home swaps, a culture of corruption involving "under-the-table" payments has developed.

However, President Raul Castro, Fidel's brother, said that the concentration of property would not be allowed and no details were given on how sales would operate.

The plan to allow home sales was one of about 300 approved by the party, which also include more self-employment, cutting a million government jobs in the coming years, encouraging foreign investment and reducing state spending. » | Robin Yapp, Sao Paulo | Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Twisting Truth: French Media Keep Public in Dark Over Libya

Will Egypt's Former Ruler Mubarak Ever Face Trial?
AL–MASRY AL–YOUM: An authoritarian leader is forced to resign after protests against his corruption-tainted rule. He is charged with graft and murder, but ill health stalls his interrogation. He dies before he is put on trial.

The fate of Indonesia's President Suharto, who died 10 years after mass demonstrations swept him from power in 1998, could be a scenario the generals now ruling Egypt are considering for deposed President Hosni Mubarak, 82 and ailing, who still wields considerable clout within the army.

Yet significant delays in putting Mubarak on trial risk a return of the mass demonstrations and chaos that swept him from power on February 11 and hammered Egypt's economy, analysts say.

The protests have largely died down, but normality has yet to return to a country central to stability in the Middle East. » | Reuters | Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Mubarak Brothers Accused of Exploiting Influence for Gain
AL–MASRY AL–YOUM: Investigations into Gamal and Alaa Mubarak, the sons of ousted President Hosni Mubarak, suggest that they exploited their official positions in order to obtain public funds, said judicial sources on Monday. The two sons deny any involvement in acts of corruption.

According to official investigations, Gamal used his influence in the National Democratic Party and as son of the president to award contracts to foreign companies in which he was a partner. » | Staff | Monday, April 18, 2011

US-Haushaltsdefizit: Countdown zum Staatsbankrott
STERN.DE: Gehen die USA pleite? Möglich, sogar ein Datum für den Bankrott gibt es schon, den 8. Juli. Nun wird um Sparpläne gefeilscht. Aber was scheren uns eigentlich die Miesen der Amerikaner? Eine Analyse von Florian Güßgen

Es ist ein Weckruf, ein Warnschuss - eine dringende Aufforderung an die in politischen Schützengräben liegenden US-Demokraten und Republikaner. Einigt euch! Vergesst eure ideologischen Gefechte! Das Wohl des ganzen Landes steht auf dem Spiel. Und, bitte, macht vor allem schnell. Nicht anders ist die Botschaft zu bewerten, die die Rating-Agentur Standard & Poor's am Montag nach Washington und in die Welt geschickt hat. Es ist der Job der Agentur, die Kreditwürdigkeit von Staaten zu beurteilen. Nun sagen die Finanzexperten, es könne sein, dass die USA ihre Top-Bewertung als Kreditnehmer - das dreifache A, das "triple A" - verlören, und zwar schon 2013. Das alles könnte geschehen, wenn die Herren und Damen in Washington jetzt nicht bald einheitlich und schlüssig erklären können, wie sie Amerikas schwindelerregendes Haushaltsloch stopfen wollen. Und zwar subito!

Denn in den USA sieht es haushaltspolitisch derzeit in zweierlei Hinsicht zappenduster aus. Das erste Problem ist die Staatskasse. Die befindet sich in einem dramatischen Zustand. Steuert die Politik hier nicht gegen, können die USA mittel- und langfristig tatsächlich in einen Strudel geraten, der dann auch die Weltwirtschaft herunterziehen könnte. Das zweite Problem ist dummerweise die Politik selbst. In den USA sind Demokraten und Republikaner auch nach mehr als zwei Jahren unter dem als Versöhner angetretenen Präsidenten Barack Obama so tief gespalten, dass es fast unmöglich erscheint, dass sie haushaltspolitisch an einem Strang ziehen. Vor diesem Hintergrund ist der Weckruf von Standard & Poor's zu sehen. » | Eine Analyse von Florian Güßgen | Dienstag, 19. April 2011

”Ich bin schlimmer als Helmut Schmidt”

WIKI: Jan Fedder – [D] und [E]

L'état d'urgence levé en Syrie
LE FIGARO: Ce week-end, le président Assad avait prévenu la population qu'elle n'aurait plus d'excuses pour manifester, une fois levé l'état d'urgence, en vigueur depuis près de 50 ans. Sur le terrain, la répression se poursuit.

Le président Bachar al-Assad l'avait promis ce week-end aux manifestants, qui contestent le régime syrien depuis la mi-mars. Mardi, le gouvernement a approuvé un projet de loi pour l'abrogation de la loi d'urgence, en vigueur depuis 1963. Le gouvernement a également aboli la Cour de sûreté de l'Etat, tribunal chargé de juger les prisonniers politiques, et approuvé une loi autorisant les manifestations pacifiques. Selon un haut responsable syrien, le chef de l'État aura encore à ratifier ces textes mais sa signature devrait être une simple formalité.

L'état d'urgence restreignait notamment la liberté de réunion et de déplacement et permettait l'arrestation de «suspects ou de personnes menaçant la sécurité». Samedi, le président avait prévenu que la population n'aurait plus d' «excuses» pour manifester, une fois l'état d'urgence levé. » | Par Thomas Vampouille | Mardi 19 Avril 2011

Gaddafis Truppen feuern von Dächern auf Zivilisten
WELT ONLINE: In Misrata führt Gaddafi einen brutalen Krieg gegen das eigene Volk: Seine Soldaten tarnen sich als Zivilisten und schießen aus dem Hinterhalt auf Bewohner.

Der Oberbefehlshaber über den Nato-Militäreinsatz in Libyen, Generalleutnant Charles Bouchard, hat die Truppen des Machthabers Muammar al-Gaddafi beschuldigt, in Misrata auf Zivilisten zu schießen.

Die Streitkräfte stünden auf den Dächern von Moscheen und feuerten von dort auf Menschen, sagte Bouchard dem kanadischen Fernsehen.

Sie versteckten sich in der Nähe von Krankenhäusern und hätten gepanzerte Wagen in Schulen abgestellt. Manchmal zögen die Gaddafi-Verbündeten auch ihre Uniformen aus, damit niemand sie in der eingekesselten Rebellenbastion erkennen könne. Der Kanadier Bouchard kritisierte dieses Vorgehen als „unmoralisch„ und „hinterhältig“. » | Reuters/dpa/AFP/pku | Dienstag, 19. April 2011

Royal Wedding: Police Consider Pre-emptive Arrests
THE GUARDIAN: • Met working with other forces to identify 'black bloc' anarchists
 • Muslims Against Crusades group refused permission to protest

Police cannot rule out pre-emptive strikes against anarchists plotting to disrupt the royal wedding, Scotland Yard has said.

In one of the biggest security operations in the history of the Metropolitan police, just under 5,000 police officers - including armed and undercover teams - will be on duty on 29 April in the city of Westminster and around the centre of London.

So far, two groups have indicated that they wish to protest: Muslims against Crusades, who asked to demonstrate outside Westminster Abbey but were refused permission, and the English Defence League. The EDL indicated it would mount a demonstration if Muslims against Crusades did so.

Sixty individuals who have been arrested at past demonstrations, such as the TUC anti-cuts protest and the student demonstration against the introduction of fees, have been banned from the city of Westminster as part of their bail conditions. Action will be taken against them if they enter the city on the day.

In addition, the Met is working with forces across the country and is using "spotters" to identify those within the so-called "black bloc" of anarchists intent on causing trouble.

Should evidence emerge that groups are planning to commit criminal acts, pre-emptive action will be taken, a Scotland Yard spokesman said. This could range from breaking up a squat where individuals are gathered, under breach of the peace legislation, or moving in to break up and arrest individuals if evidence suggests they are conspiring to commit criminal acts. » | Sandra Laville, crime correspondent | Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Bahrain Steps Up Campaign against 'Professional' Classes
THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: Bahrain's embattled government has pressed ahead with its campaign against middle-class professionals it suspects of taking part in anti-regime protests, announcing the suspension of more than 100 civil servants.

A statement said the 111 people at the ministry for education would also be referred for legal action and quoted the education minister, Majid bin Ali al-Nuaimi, as saying it followed an investigation into "flagrant violations" of rules concerning schools.

The education ministry did not give details of how many of the employees suspended were teachers, but made clear the action was a response to a strike call by the Bahraini Teachers' Association.

"The association called for the strike for political reasons in a bid to cripple schools", Mr al-Nuaimi said.

Bahrain, a key western ally, has conducted a wide-ranging campaign against opposition groups and political parties since using the army, along with reinforcements from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, to clear protesters from the streets. At least 30 people are thought to have been killed.

Among those detained have been doctors who treated the wounded, while opposition newspaper editors have also been told they will be prosecuted for their coverage of the unrest. » | Richard Spencer, Middle East Correspondent | Sunday, April 17, 2011

Britain Sends Military Advisers to Libya: This Is What Mission Creep Looks Like
TELEGRAPH BLOGS – BENEDICT BROGAN: The Foreign Office has announced that it is sending 10 ‘mentors’ to beef up the embryonic British presence in eastern Libya. Mentors? That’s the word used by the centre to describe what are in fact military advisers being sent in to help the rebels. The Government says it’s all well within the terms of UN Resolution 1973, and they are not a “fighting force”. They are there to advise on helping civilians, not on military training. The Telegraph reported recently the view inside the MoD that the rebels, while lacking nothing in enthusiasm, coudn’t fight their way out of a paper bag. Without outside help in arms and possibly international back-up they will not be able to accomplish what everyone wants – getting rid of Col Gaddafi. With the Libyan effort bogged down, Gaddafi still in place, and no sign of any momentum to force him out, it is no wonder that those allies still committed to this adventure are looking for ways to help the rebels get on with the job. Italy is talking of sending military help. David Cameron and his ministers have tied themselves in knots to avoid ruling out military help. And now we have it. The Prime Minister will have to face unavoidable charges that this is mission creep, and it will be tempting to recall how John F Kennedy started with military ‘advisers’ in Vietnam. Continue reading and comment » | Benedict Brogan | Tuesday, April 19, 2011

My comment:

David Cameron is out of his depth. I will always remember the day that Cameron committed to war in Libya, and Hague chanting at his side, "statesman, statesman." I remember thinking to myself then: I wonder whether people will say silly things like that when it's all over (whenever that will be). It's very easy to enter into war; it's getting out of it that's the difficult thing. Fools rush in, and all that...

Cameron has been raised in a cocoon. He has no idea or understanding of the character and mentality of the man he has entered into war with. Gaddafi is a tough man; he's a Bedouin. And anyone who has ever had a little experience in dealing with Bedouins will know that they are tough, hard-nosed, and very inflexible. I feel sure that David Cameron's upbringing has ill-prepared him for his fight with one of this world's toughest adversaries.

Only all-out war will prepare the way for the Gaddafis' ouster; and even that would be a rough, tough, messy, very bloody conflict. What has Cameron got us into? – © Mark

This comment also appears here

Dead Alien Found in UFO Hotspot in Russia ; With Translation

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Body of 'dead alien' found in Siberia: A video claiming to show alien remains in Irkutsk, Siberia has become a internet sensation, garnering more than a million hits. » | Andrew Osborn in Moscow | Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Nigella Lawson Wears a Burkini on Bondi Beach
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: For admirers of Nigella Lawson's Rubenesque curves, the prospect of the domestic goddess hitting the beach was one to savour.

From corseted Vivienne Westwood gowns to figure-hugging cashmere twinsets, the television chef never fails to make the most of her voluptuous figure.

So her choice of swimwear for a dip off Sydney's Bondi Beach came as something of a surprise. Rather than a revealing swimming costume, Miss Lawson was covered head to toe in a burkini, the modesty-saving outfit designed for Muslim women.

The 51-year-old cut a striking figure as she splashed in the surf with her friend, comedian Maria McErlane. While Miss McErlane wore a skimpy bikini, Miss Lawson was protected from the elements in a black two-piece and peaked cap, leaving only her hands, feet and face showing.

Rather than a sudden conversion to Islam, her choice of outfit was motivated by a desire to shield her creamy complexion from the Australian sun. "Nigella was protecting herself from sunburn, nothing more than that," said her spokesman. » | Anita Singh, Showbusiness Editor | Tuesday, April 19, 2011

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Kate Middleton's wedding dress? That's one for the women, says BBC's Huw Edwards: As the presenter chosen to lead the BBC's coverage of the Royal Wedding, Huw Edwards will guide viewers through every aspect of the day - except one. » | Anita Singh, Showbusiness Editor | Tuesday, April 19, 2011

David Cameron Blocks Gordon Brown as Head of IMF
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: David Cameron will block Gordon Brown's attempts to head up the International Monetary Fund after criticising his handling of the financial crisis.

In a direct attack on the former Prime Minister, Mr Cameron said his predecessor was not the "most appropriate person" to lead the IMF because he would not admit the UK had a "debt problem".

Mr Brown is reportedly hoping to take on the £270,000-a-year role but he must first be nominated by the Government.

“If you have someone who didn’t think we had a debt problem (running the IMF) they may not be the best person to decide whether other countries have that problem," he said on BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

He added that the role needed to be filled by “someone who understands the dangers of excessive spending.”

And in a clear signal that Britain would block Mr Brown if stood for the job, Mr Cameron suggested the position should be filled by a candidate from “China, India or south east Asia.” » | Andrew Porter and James Kirkup | Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Britain Attempts to Target Mrs Gaddafi with UN Sanctions
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Britain is attempting to target Col Muammar Gaddafi's wife with UN sanctions, fearing her multi-billion dollar fortune could be used to bolster her husband's rule and attacks on civilians.

Mrs Gaddafi, who is known by her maiden name of Safia Farkash, the Libyan leader's wife of 40 years, was not named among the Gaddafi associates and family members who had their assets frozen and were banned from international travel under two UN resolutions in February and March.

Her personal fortune has been put by some of her many enemies at $30 billion (£18 billion), though estimating Gaddafi wealth is difficult due to the regime's failure to distinguish between private family and government money.

Miss Farkash is known to control Buraq Air, a private rival to the Libyan state, and is said to have amassed 20 tons of gold reserves, though she is less of a public figure than some other Arab leaders' wives.

The mother of his daughter and six of his seven sons, she became Col Gaddafi's second wife in 1971, after nursing him through a bout of appendicitis.

She was said by one of the several Ukrainian nurses who have attended him in recent years to be jealous of them, though despite popular rumour there is no evidence that they are his lovers.

The British government, together with France and Germany, has now requested that Miss Farkash be added to the sanctions blacklist, along with 23 other Libyans and several companies. » | Jon Swaine, New York | Tuesday, April 19, 2011

White Men Converting to Islam BBC Inside Out (Jan 2011)

Rechtspopulismus in Europa: Die Wahren Finnen stehen nicht allein
FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE: Nicht nur in Finnland verzeichnen Rechtspopulisten einen großen Wählerzuspruch: Der rechtsextreme Front National kam in Frankreich auf zwölf Prozent der Stimmen, in den Niederlanden wählte jeder Sechste die Partei der Rechtsliberalen. Ein Überblick. » | Von Anne-Christin Sievers | Montag, 18. April 2011

Gaddafi’s Son: We Will Deal with Terrorists First and Then Talk Reform
THE WASHINGTON POST: TRIPOLI, Libya — Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, the influential second son of Moammar Gaddafi who was once seen as the great hope for reform in Libya, is clear on two points: He and his government have done nothing wrong, and they are not going to back down.

In an interview that reflected the defiance of the Gaddafi family more than two months into its efforts to put down a rebellion supported by the United States and its allies, the 38-year-old said the world had gone to war with Libya based on nothing more than rumor and propaganda.

In Saif Gaddafi’s telling, he has been betrayed by his “best friend,” who defected to join the rebels. His father’s government is besieged by al-Qaeda. And President Obama has proved no different from his predecessor, George W. Bush.

The comments underscore the uncompromising stance of the Libyan government at a time when the fighting has stale­mated and NATO faces internal squabbling. Although there had been indications this month that Saif Gaddafi was interested in a diplomatic solution to the crisis that has divided his nation, his tone during an hour-long interview suggested that the core decision-makers in Tripoli are in no hurry to find a political way out.

As if to bolster that point, forces loyal to the Gaddafi regime on Sunday heavily shelled the besieged city of Misurata, the only rebel outpost in western Libya. A city council spokesman said 17 people were killed and more than 100 were injured. Government troops also attacked rebel positions in the strategically critical eastern city of Ajdabiya, sending some opposition fighters fleeing back to their de facto capital, Benghazi.

One month after the uprising, the United Nations authorized a no-fly zone over Libya in March to counter the government’s attacks on civilians. Obama has said that international military action saved countless Libyan lives, by preventing Moammar Gaddafi’s men from carrying out a massacre in Benghazi.
But in Saif Gaddafi’s view, Obama has it all wrong.

“We want the Americans tomorrow to send a fact-finding mission to find out what happened in Libya. We want Human Rights Watch to come here and to find out exactly what happened,” he said. “We are not afraid of the International Criminal Court. We are confident and sure that we didn’t commit any crime against our people.” » | Simon Denyer | Sunday, April 17, 2011

Transcript of interview »

LE POINT: Seif el-Islam : "Nous n'avons commis aucun crime" : Pour le fils du colonel Kadhafi, les tirs de l'armée contre des opposants au régime ne sont que des allégations. » | Source AFP | Lundi 18 Avril 2011

Wall Street Shares Slump as S&P Downgrades US Debt Outlook
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Ratings agency cuts long-term outlook from stable to negative for first time since Pearl Harbor attack 70 years ago

Shares fell heavily on Wall Street on Monday after a leading ratings agency fanned fears of Europe's debt crisis spreading across the Atlantic by issuing a strong warning about America's failure to tackle its budget deficit.

In a move seen by Wall Street as a "shot across the bows" of bickering politicians in Washington, Standard and Poor's (S&P) said it was cutting the outlook on the US's long-term rating from stable to negative for the first time since the attack on Pearl Harbor 70 years ago.

The announcement surprised the financial markets, where attention in recent months has been focused on the problems of the weaker nations of the eurozone. Renewed speculation that Greece will be forced to default on its debts led to a sharp sell-off in the euro, but S&P stressed that the US was not immune from the sovereign debt crisis.

In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average ended the day down 140 points, or 1.1%, with the dollar weaker on the foreign exchanges and yields rising on US treasury bills. The FTSE 100 in London was down 126 points at 5870 – a drop of more than 2% – as ongoing concerns about the eurozone's debt crisis were compounded by the setback for the world's biggest economy. » | Larry Elliott, Economics editor | Tuesday, April 19, 2011

here and here

Syria: Shooting Interrupts Latest Anti-government Protest in Homs
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Thousands gather in city after reports that security forces shot dead 17 citizens on Sunday

Syrian forces fired shots at hundreds of protesters who had gathered overnight in Homs city in defiance of warning by the authorities to halt what they called an insurrection.

A member of the security police addressed the protesters at Clock Square through a loud speaker asking them to leave, and then the forces opened fire, said a human rights campaigner, who is in contact with protesters in the square.

Tear gas was also used. At least one protester was injured, the activist added. Two residents of Homs also said they heard the sound of gunfire coming from around the square.

Several hours earlier, Syrian state television broadcast an interior ministry statement that described the wave of unrest in Syria as an insurrection, pointing specifically to Homs as one of two cities where "armed groups belonging to Salafist organisations" were trying to terrorise the population.

Salafism is a strict form of Sunni Islam which many Arab governments equate with militant groups like al-Qaida. » | Reuters | Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Second Post Mortem into Dubai Death of British Tourist in Custody
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Police in Dubai have ordered a second post mortem into the death in custody of a British man whose relatives say he was beaten to death.

Lt Gen Dahi Khalfan Bin Tamim, head of Dubai Police, said police doctors were examining the body of Lee Bradley Brown, 39, who was on holiday at the Burj al-Arab Hotel in the city when he was arrested for threatening a Nepalese housekeeper.

The Dubai authorities repeated denials that Mr Brown had been "tortured". A previous post mortem, conducted by the prosecutor's department, said he had choked on his own vomit, and that there were traces of cannabis in his system.

Lt Gen Khalfan said: "We do not doubt the first report but we just want to confirm it. Two doctors started examining the body on Saturday and we will reveal the results soon. » | Richard Spencer, Dubai | Sunday, April 17, 2011

Related »

Moonwalking Romanian Politician Ordered to Stop Dancing
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: A moonwalking Romanian politician has been ordered by leaders of his political party to tone down his antics.


Edmond Talmacean, a 40-year-old Bucharest-based politician, has inspired national headlines with his Michael Jackson-inspired moonwalk on a television show and his impersonations of the late dictator Nicolae Ceausescu.

His impersonation of a well-known sports commentator during a serious political debate also stunned other lawmakers into silence.

"Dancing is another kind of political message to appeal to the younger generation, that it is good to have fun ... that you can go to a disco and dance," Mr Talmacean said.

Party leaders, however, say enough is enough and have ordered him to tone down. » | Monday, April 18, 2011

Edmond Talmacean »

Sarkozy’s Napoleonic Ambitions Backfire

Obama’s Broken Promises Kick Off Campaign for 2012

Ex-Ahmadyya Anhänger nimmt den Islam an!

Don’t These Politicians Talk BS?*

*I’m not advocating AV here. But I am sick to death of the empty talk we hear from politicians, right across the spectrum. They are playing us for fools! – © Mark

Mideast without Christians
YNET NEWS: Op-ed: Christians must realize Israel’s fate intertwined with fate of non-Muslims in region

This is the saddest Easter in the long epic of Arab Christianity: The cross is near extinction in the lands of it origin. The much-vaunted diversity of the Middle East is going to be reduced to the flat monotony of a single religion, Islam, and to a handful of languages.

In 1919, the Egyptian revolution adopted a green flag with the crescent and the cross. Both Muslims and Christians participated in the nationalist revolution against British colonialism. Now, according to the Egyptian Federation for Human Rights, more than 70 Christians a week are asking to leave the country due to Islamist threats.

The numbers are telling. Today there is only one Middle Eastern country where the number of Christians has grown: Israel. As documented in the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics, the Christian community that numbered 34,000 people in 1949 is now 163,000-strong, and will reach 187,000 in 2020.

In the rest of the Middle East, the drive for Islamic purity is going to banish all traces of pre-Islamic pasts. This has affected not only Christians, but other non-Islamic communities too, such as the Zoroastrians and Baha’is in Iran (the late also found refuge in Israel, in Haifa.)

The silence of the global forums, the flawed conscience of human rights groups, the self-denial of the media and the Vatican’s appeasement is helping facilitate this Islamist campaign. According to a report on religious freedom compiled by the US Department of State, the number of Christians in Turkey declined from two million to 85,000; in Lebanon they have gone from 55% to 35% of the population; in Syria, from half the population they have been reduced to 4%; in Jordan, from 18% to 2%. In Iraq, they will be exterminated.

Should the exodus of Christians from Bethlehem continue in the next two or three decades, there may be no clergy left to conduct religious services in Jesus’ birthplace. In Iran, Christians have become virtually non-existent since 1979, when Khomeini ordered the immediate closure of all Christian schools. In Gaza, the 3,000 who remain are subjected to persecution. In Sudan, Christians in the South are forced into slavery. Israel’s flag a symbol of hope » | Giulio Meotti | Monday, April 18, 2011

Letter: Arabs Brainwashed against Israel
YNET NEWS: Iraqi man sends letter to Foreign Ministry saying Hamas has made him ashamed of being Arab

The Foreign Ministry's Arabic-language website received a letter Saturday from a repentant Iraqi man who says he and his fellow citizens have been "brainwashed against Israel".

The man added that Hamas's recent attacks on Israeli civilians have caused him "shame" for being an Arab and a Muslim.

"For a long time we believed that Israelis are dangerous barbarians due to the brainwashing we underwent during Saddam (Hussein)'s rule but now I see (Arabs) being massacred in a wretched and shameful manner by Sunni and Shiite rulers," the letter says.

The man added that Hamas's recent attacks on Israeli civilians have caused him "shame" for being an Arab and a Muslim.

"For a long time we believed that Israelis are dangerous barbarians due to the brainwashing we underwent during Saddam (Hussein)'s rule but now I see (Arabs) being massacred in a wretched and shameful manner by Sunni and Shiite rulers," the letter says. » | Roee Nahmias | Monday, April 18, 2011

US Warned Over Debts, as S&P Cuts Outlook to 'Negative'
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: America's ability to tackle its deficit has been given a strong vote of no confidence, after leading rating agency Standard & Poor's said the chances are rising that the country will lose its prized AAA status.

S&P downgraded the outlook for the US government's debt to negative from stable on Monday in a clear shot across the bows of Congress and The White House.

In sharp contrast to every other developed economy, the US has increased its budget deficit in the last year in an effort to accelerate the economic recovery here.

While President Barack Obama and the Republicans have in the last month laid out plans to reduce the deficit, S&P warned that a plan needs to be agreed upon within the next two years for the US to retain its status as a top borrower.

"More than two years after the beginning of the recent crisis, US policymakers have still not agreed on how to reverse recent fiscal deterioration or address longer-term fiscal pressures," said Nikola Swann, an analyst at S&P.

The move by S&P sparked an immediate reaction in financial markets, with US government bond prices falling alongside the S&P 500. Gold prices jumped to a new record of $1,496. » | Richard Blackden, US Business Editor | Monday, April 18, 2011

Markets Hub: Stocks Tumble as S&P Cuts U.S. Outlook
Stocks tumbled Monday after Standard & Poor's cut its credit outlook on the U.S. to negative, increasing the likelihood of a potential downgrade from its triple-A rating. Paul Vigna, George Stahl, Kathleen Magigan and Jim McTague discuss